WAMC for next cycle

[underreppedmedicinegal]

Hi Everyone,
This is my first post on this thread so it may be somewhat long. I'm feeling somewhat discouraged because this pandemic really set me behind by ALOT. I was supposed to apply next cycle but several people on reddit have told me to take a gap year because my chances of getting in somewhere next cycle are slim. Here are my stats:

cGPA: 3.7
sGPA: 3.5
MCAT: not taken yet, hoping for a 515 but I will reassess when my test date gets closer

Clinical experience: 600+ hrs (will be over 1K by the time I apply, I work as a tech in the ED and worked as a HHA previously)

Clinical volunteering: 0 hrs

Non-clinical volunteering: about 60hrs as of now, starting volunteering with Girl Scouts this month so it'll be close to or over 100hrs by the time I apply

Shadowing: 0 hrs, I've done e-shadowing throughout the pandemic but reddit said it's not really meaningful enough to put on my app

Research: 0hrs, I did get into a research program at my state medical school and it was canceled due to COVID.

Do I have time to better my stats or should I not even think of applying next cycle because it'll be soul crushing to receives R's from every school I apply to?

I'm applying MD and DO btw

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[ihoop24]

First things first, kill the MCAT. I think you'll be fine to apply next cycle if you are able to get at least 20 hours of shadowing and the non-clinical volunteering hours up. You don't necessarily need research, but it can definitely help.

 

[underreppedmedicinegal]

First things first, kill the MCAT. I think you'll be fine to apply next cycle if you are able to get at least 20 hours of shadowing and the non-clinical volunteering hours up. You don't necessarily need research, but it can definitely help.

I was planning to apply to UConn SOM, which is a research institution. I'm still trying to find research but it's so tough with the pandemic and all. As for non-clinical, I'll definitely be getting that up but does clinical volunteering matter considering I have clinical experience?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I really don't know how much research really matters before starting medical school. If you have done an independent study or thesis, you may be fine. At any rate, research even at "research institutions" is overrated unless you're going for a Ph.D. There are also many research-based postbac programs that could help you with getting research experience before starting medical school. I can't say anything about your clinical experience to date; if you have direct interaction with patients, then you're probably good.

 

[ihoop24]

I was planning to apply to UConn SOM, which is a research institution. I'm still trying to find research but it's so tough with the pandemic and all. As for non-clinical, I'll definitely be getting that up but does clinical volunteering matter considering I have clinical experience?

No. Your clinical experience could be paid, volunteer, or a combination of both. You're solid in terms of clinical experience.

 

[Sky138]

515 is a lofty goal but attainable if you work hard. If I were you I’d take a year off if you can to get the highest mcat you can, rack up more volunteer hours, and get some shadowing just to check for the box. If they ask you something simple like why a doctor, they can easily use the no shadowing to tell you to come back next year. Also if you could work with underserved patients somehow a la free clinic, that’ll help you a lot

 

[candbgirl]

515 is a lofty goal but attainable if you work hard. If I were you I’d take a year off if you can to get the highest mcat you can, rack up more volunteer hours, and get some shadowing just to check for the box. If they ask you something simple like why a doctor, they can easily use the no shadowing to tell you to come back next year. Also if you could work with underserved patients somehow a la free clinic, that’ll help you a lot

This. Just accept doing a Gap year. It will make your life easier and less stressful. You have to focus on the MCAT. You have set a high bar for yourself. Good luck. You are fine with clinical experiences but you absolutely have to get some “real” physician shadowing. Hopefully you will be able to do that by next Fall. As to nonclinical volunteering, what exactly do you do for the Girl Scouts? Are the girls underprivileged? For nonclinical volunteering you should be focusing on the unserved/underserved in your community. You should get outside of your comfort zone and off campus. You need to show your altruism to ADCOMS. Medicine is a service profession. You need to show that you can work with patients very unlike yourself.
Are you applying for a Ph.D along with your medical degree? If not don’t worry about research. It would be nice to have but isn’t that important.

 

[Dr.K124]

Hi Everyone,
This is my first post on this thread so it may be somewhat long. I'm feeling somewhat discouraged because this pandemic really set me behind by ALOT. I was supposed to apply next cycle but several people on reddit have told me to take a gap year because my chances of getting in somewhere next cycle are slim. Here are my stats:

cGPA: 3.7
sGPA: 3.5
MCAT: not taken yet, hoping for a 515 but I will reassess when my test date gets closer

Clinical experience: 600+ hrs (will be over 1K by the time I apply, I work as a tech in the ED and worked as a HHA previously)

Clinical volunteering: 0 hrs

Non-clinical volunteering: about 60hrs as of now, starting volunteering with Girl Scouts this month so it'll be close to or over 100hrs by the time I apply

Shadowing: 0 hrs, I've done e-shadowing throughout the pandemic but reddit said it's not really meaningful enough to put on my app

Research: 0hrs, I did get into a research program at my state medical school and it was canceled due to COVID.

Do I have time to better my stats or should I not even think of applying next cycle because it'll be soul crushing to receives R's from every school I apply to?

I'm applying MD and DO btw

Unless you strongly believe you can crush the MCAT, manage to get shadowing in, and triple your nonclinical volunteering before you apply, I recommend taking a gap year.

 

[underreppedmedicinegal]

515 is a lofty goal but attainable if you work hard. If I were you I’d take a year off if you can to get the highest mcat you can, rack up more volunteer hours, and get some shadowing just to check for the box. If they ask you something simple like why a doctor, they can easily use the no shadowing to tell you to come back next year. Also if you could work with underserved patients somehow a la free clinic, that’ll help you a lot

By a year off do you mean apply in 2022 for matriculation in 2023, OR do you mean apply in 2023 for matriculation in 2024?

 

[underreppedmedicinegal]

Unless you strongly believe you can crush the MCAT, manage to get shadowing in, and triple your nonclinical volunteering before you apply, I recommend taking a gap year.

Approx how many hours do you recommend for nonclinical volunteering? I've been told anything from 100-500?

 

[underreppedmedicinegal]

This. Just accept doing a Gap year. It will make your life easier and less stressful. You have to focus on the MCAT. You have set a high bar for yourself. Good luck. You are fine with clinical experiences but you absolutely have to get some “real” physician shadowing. Hopefully you will be able to do that by next Fall. As to nonclinical volunteering, what exactly do you do for the Girl Scouts? Are the girls underprivileged? For nonclinical volunteering you should be focusing on the unserved/underserved in your community. You should get outside of your comfort zone and off campus. You need to show your altruism to ADCOMS. Medicine is a service profession. You need to show that you can work with patients very unlike yourself.
Are you applying for a Ph.D along with your medical degree? If not don’t worry about research. It would be nice to have but isn’t that important.

I am not applying for a Ph.D along with MD, but I am applying to UConn SOM which is a research institution. If I were to get my hours up for nonclinical volunteering before May, would it look bad if I only had about 6 months into that experience???

 

[underreppedmedicinegal]

515 is a lofty goal but attainable if you work hard. If I were you I’d take a year off if you can to get the highest mcat you can, rack up more volunteer hours, and get some shadowing just to check for the box. If they ask you something simple like why a doctor, they can easily use the no shadowing to tell you to come back next year. Also if you could work with underserved patients somehow a la free clinic, that’ll help you a lot

Would they really use the no shadowing against me if I work in an ED close to residents and attending physicians? This made me nervous

 

[Dr.K124]

Approx how many hours do you recommend for nonclinical volunteering? I've been told anything from 100-500?

150 is reasonably competitive. 300+ is a solid S-level applicant. Above 500 is excessive in that those hours could certainly be useful elsewhere (MCAT studying, essays, etc). I'd recommend looking into something like Meals on Wheels that serves the underserved. 3 hours every weekend.

I am not applying for a Ph.D along with MD, but I am applying to UConn SOM which is a research institution. If I were to get my hours up for nonclinical volunteering before May, would it look bad if I only had about 6 months into that experience???

Research is optional (but certainly recommended) for many medical schools. Nonclinical volunteering is not in the vast majority of circumstances.

Would they really use the no shadowing against me if I work in an ED close to residents and attending physicians? This made me nervous

You could probably count some of those hours as shadowing, but you cannot double count hours. What do you think @Goro?

 

[Sky138]

Would they really use the no shadowing against me if I work in an ED close to residents and attending physicians? This made me nervous

If you were an ED scribe, you could easily get off scotch free without any shadowing hours but as a tech not so much. Think about it, even though you work with physicians you’re not really picking their minds or paying full attention to their day/patient interactions. Pessimistic, perhaps not even pessimistic adcoms might think you didn’t care enough to even take a day out of your life really explore the profession. That’s the first impression I got when you said no shadowing hours but fortunately, that should be easy to fix. I mean you work in the ED and I’m assuming you’re friends with at least one doc. I’m sure if you asked him/her to shadow they’ll be perfectly fine with that and there you go, box checked. Also it should be easy for you since you already have the credentials and PPE to be in the ED so fix that and one less problem to worry about

 

[Goro]

150 is reasonably competitive. 300+ is a solid S-level applicant. Above 500 is excessive in that those hours could certainly be useful elsewhere (MCAT studying, essays, etc). I'd recommend looking into something like Meals on Wheels that serves the underserved. 3 hours every weekend.



Research is optional (but certainly recommended) for many medical schools. Nonclinical volunteering is not in the vast majority of circumstances.



You could probably count some of those hours as shadowing, but you cannot double count hours. What do you think @Goro?

I agree with my learned colleague.